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Sabarimala Imposes Strict Limits After Crowd Overload Chaos

Key Facts:

  • An overwhelming rush of nearly two lakh pilgrims at Sabarimala forced authorities to cap spot bookings at 20,000 daily and limit entry to one lakh pilgrims per day.

  • Queue complexes were fully equipped with water, light meals, and resting facilities; additional staff and cleaning workers deployed.

  • Crowd mismanagement led to a tragedy as a 58-year-old woman died waiting in the queue, and a pilgrim bus overturned with minor injuries.

  • Officials reported large groups ignored booking limits, pushing actual spot bookings to 37,000 on one day.

  • Opposition parties slammed the government for poor preparation and called for Kerala High Court intervention.

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Comprehensive Article:Sabarimala witnessed a massive surge of nearly two lakh devotees in a single day, overwhelming crowd control efforts and forcing the Travancore Devaswom Board along with police to introduce strict restrictions. From Wednesday onward, real-time spot bookings for darshan were capped at 20,000 daily, and overall pilgrim entry was limited to one lakh per day to restore order. To ease congestion, seven new spot-booking counters were opened at Nilakkal to discourage crowd rushes to Pamba, with overnight stay facilities arranged for those arriving in large numbers. Queue complexes along the main route were upgraded, offering drinking water, light refreshments including chukku coffee, and guaranteeing pilgrims’ queue priority. Yet, challenges persisted as some groups disregarded these limits, forcing authorities to admit 37,000 spot bookings on a peak day. The overcrowding sadly led to the death of a 58-year-old woman who collapsed while waiting and a bus accident causing minor injuries. Opposition leaders criticized the state government for inadequate arrangements and sought urgent judiciary intervention. The authorities continue to bolster staff and facilities to manage the pilgrimage safely during this high-demand period.


CTA:Have you witnessed the Sabarimala rush? Share your stories and safety tips below! 🙏👇

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